Doll Collector

Doll Collector(mario1304) Doll Collector


She was the best piece in his collection. Working on new things always made him tired but he felt great. Satisfied. He returned a few steps back and looked again. Although the light was dim in the basement and yellow, he was aware of how wonderful and glorious his work was. She was in the red silk dress with long, black, shiny hair, gleaming porcelain skin, full red lips and rosy cheeks colored with lipstick in a small, red circle. Almost like an old fashioned doll from his childhood. Only her eyes with long lashes were closed, but later he would solve the problem, as he had resolved the same problem with two other dolls. This was definitively his best work till now and he was so proud of himself. He wiped his hands with a dirty old towel and sat down on an old, wooden chair. Memories from the past started coming like thunder in gray, winter sky. He closed his eyes and began to think about a completely new life, the universe that was created in this small, stuffy basement. A totally new world and meaning for him and for the people of this town. He, in his fifties of his life, was a lonely man. His mother, a worthy woman, God bless her soul, died two years ago and left him a small apartment in the complex of old buildings, called "railway buildings”. They belonged to the state railroad company, but not anymore. She also left him behind her with so much loneliness and emptiness. He didn’t know his father. According to his mother’s stories he was a drunk who left them for a young Moldovan or Russian slut in Italy. His father never cared for his family and his only son. Reason more to pray to God for some sexually transmitted disease for his good-for-nothing father and death in pain greater than he and his mother were ever passed through.

When he was in his thirties, he found work at the City Hospital Morgue in Skopje and he loved his obscure work. No one could complain about his job. They were all silent and dead. Others, those living ones, workers and doctors, thought that he was a bit strange and weird, but he was quiet and a good worker, reliable, and what else can be expected from a man who works in a morgue? His mother was all his world and he took a good care of her while she was ill. After her death, he was lost for more than a year and a half and then he found his first doll abandoned on the street near his building. He realized in that particular moment what his mission was in this savage, strange and hostile town - to save the beauty from the streets, from mud and dirt. To save them from devastation and destruction from all negligent people who know how to and intend to harm a beauty. And, also, to be prepared to wait for the perfect time to show to Skopje and the rest of the world what he has done to preserve that beauty for the future.

Still with his eyes closed, he shook his head smiling sardonically. He didn’t want to take any reward, knowing that many so-called artists, will be jealous of his work. Just a smile on the faces of ordinary people, maybe an exhibition in the town museum or in a gallery…. Or, perhaps a reception in City Hall organized by Skopje mayor. Well, we'll see, he said to himself ... But now is still not the time for thinking and daydreaming about awards and exhibitions and spending precious time. He had just launched his mission and it will be his major task for the next few years, maybe more. First, he needs to complete this one. To the perfection as only he knew and felt. Also he needed to find another lost and abandoned doll in the city and bring her here into this place, prepare her and give her glory and eternity. He opened his eyes and jumped off the chair. His wristwatch showed him that it is the time to start looking for a doll. Particularly one. It was eleven o'clock at evening and the city streets looked familiar. Almost like hospital hallways on the way to the morgue. Around his building was silent and sunk-in thick darkness. Only a few street lights worked, but so far they had not managed to upset this place with a net of bright lights, which some people consider essential and safe.

He covered the doll with a white sheet and grabbed the black plastic waste bag. Before he closed the door of the basement he looked again and his whole body began to tremble with pride and joy. He turned off the lights and closed the door with a padlock. Then he checked if there was someone else in the rest of the basement. He smiled. Nobody had the courage to visit this place at night, due to the terrible wooden stairs and no lights. He solved the problem with the lights long time ago. Now, no one in the building can fix it and, honestly no one cares. It was just endless complaining about the situation but nobody does anything to fix the problem because they don’t want to give money for repairs. He hated his neighbors. Lazy and curious people. Especially that fat, ugly woman on the first floor with a mustache and freckles like a man. She always placed her nose where it had no place. Now she started talking and spreading gossip about some strange smell in the basement, and sometimes she gave him a weird look when they met each other on the stairs. He will soon solve the problem with the smell and shut her big, dirty and dangerous mouth. He climbed very carefully, trying not to cause any noise and cracks on the old wooden stairs. In the last days, near his building, he saw a doll, lonely and abandoned. Like providence is sending her there, close to him. He hoped that she was still walking around his street, waiting for him. Tonight he will check it. She was so beautiful and fragile, even though she was in dirty clothes and with a scared look in her eyes. He recognized her beauty because he was an expert. He was a master of this ancient craft. He was a doll collector.

*

“Dnevnik”, Wednesday , November 11
“14 years old girl reported missing”


Young MS was reported missing two days after she didn’t returned home in the Skopje suburb near City Railway and International Bus Station. Her disappearance was reported by her grandmother, in who's house girl stayed. Grandmother stated to the police and the newspaper that the missing girl sometimes used to spend the night outside the home, but always informed her about it. Police spokesperson Irena Stojanovska said the investigation is ongoing and that police didn’t have any information as to whether the girl's disappearance is linked to the disappearance of three other teenage girls in the previous three months. Spokeswoman said that, in this moment, she couldn’t give more information because of the ongoing investigation, but police are working hard to find the missing girls.

*

“Dnevnik”, Friday, November 13
“Fire in the buildings near City Railway Station. Five people dead.”


On Thursday morning, a fire broke out in a building near the City Railway Station. Fire started in the basement and spread to the first floor, but with the quick intervention of the city Fire Department the fire was soon localized. Unfortunately, the fire and smoke killed five people whose remains were found damaged in the basement. Police and fire inspectors are investigating the cause of fire. Victims were transported to State Forensic Center for further identification. Unofficially, our newspaper found out that one of the victims was an elderly woman, and four others are probably young teenage girls. Police spokesperson Irena Stojanovska stated that the investigation and identification of victims is ongoing and that it is wrong to speculate about possible links between this event and the disappearance of four teenage girls until the investigation is complete. Fire Inspector Zoran Petrovski said that the cause of the fire is probably old installation in the basement of the building. This was one of the few old buildings in that area that was not renovated in the past few years. Skopje’s Mayor and the Mayor of Municipality of Airport offered money and food as a first aid to inhabitants of the destroyed building. Mayor of the Municipality of Aerodrom also promised renovation of the building in a quick period, financed by the local budget and with help of the city of Skopje.

*

He closed and folded newspaper and put it in his pocket. He was still thinking about that crazy, fat woman who destroyed everything, his whole beautiful and precious collection. And he had invested so much in his work. Passion, tears, sweat…. He was angry at her and she deserved a terrible death and everything that happens to her. Why on the earth was she pushing her nose everywhere? Why did she come that night and see his new doll. She just started screaming and yelling, and he was forced to shut her up. Fortunately, no one heard that. Now he needs to be cautious in next few weeks and months.

The bus came and he went inside, sat in the back and began stiffly looking trough the dirty window. A smile showed on his face. He saw another doll. Abandoned and frozen, fragile and beautiful. He immediately knew she was waiting for him to find her and save her. Slowly he raised his hand and waved at her. The bus moved forward and he promised himself that she would be saved, and that he would restore his collection and make it even more glorious and majestic. He was the Doll Collector, in the end, and he had a mission in this world, in this city, no matter what happens…